Life on Chapponay

During my time in Lyon, I stayed with Sisters Rose and Marie Philippe in an apartment on Chapponay Street. They are Sisters of St. Joseph from the Congregation of Lyon. Rose was a parish minister and Marie Philippe was a teacher. They have lived together in Lyon for the past 45 years. During that time between 1-4 other sisters have lived with them. 

In their place on Chapponay, the sisters have two apartments. Rose and Marie Philippe live on the fifth floor ("le cinquième"). Meals, TV, the community gathering, and Internet are all available on the fifth floor. The second floor apartment ("le deuxième") has 3 bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom. Over the years, 1-3 sisters have either lived there or stayed there during their travels to Lyon. I lived on the second floor.

My life in "le deuxième" has to be rated as a luxury: I was alone and had the run of the apartment. I treated this as a gift and truly enjoyed having the freedom to come and go as I wanted. The sisters also let me know that it was ok to not show up for every meal. I took advantage of this invitation by going to a restaurant by myself or more usually, with friends.  


Tour of "Le Deuxième"
My bedroom was comfortably simple, adequately equipped, and large enough to meet my needs.

The kitchen did not have a stove, but the sisters supplied it with a hot plate, microwave and electric teapot. The refrigerator (lower left) was small but big enough for my food. The appliance in the center with its top ajar is a small washing machine. Wedged between it and the black cupboard is the drying rack. Since there was no dryer, I air-dried my clothes and towels. I discovered that if I raised the heat to its highest level, my laundry would dry in about 24 hours (one of my little problem solving exercises). 

A view of the kitchen from its entrance.












The entrance to the apartment is through the door in the center left just behind my coats. Directly across from it is my bedroom. The bathroom is the door at the end of the hall and to the left of it is the shower. The kitchen is in the foreground to the right.

Daily Routine
My morning routine usually started between 5-6 a.m. (not my choice, I'd just wake up). I'd pray the office in English and read the Scriptures in French. Sometimes I'd do a little journaling. If I had homework, I dug right into it until about 7:30 a.m. when I had breakfast. About 8:15 I'd take my shower and do my exercises.

Breakfast was usually half a baguette with butter, tea, sometimes yogurt or sometimes an orange. During breakfast I'd either read a French magazine, do some homework, look at vocabulary words, or listen to a French radio station. I'd also make my lunch, which usually consisted of a sandwich and an apple. Only rarely did I eat out for lunch on school days.

My morning baguette came fresh from the boulangerie, which was 2 blocks away. If I made it there about 7:30, the baguette was just out of the oven, which made the butter melt. (I'm not a big butter fan, but French butter is unbelievably good and it goes well with a fresh baguette.) 

School started at 10 a.m. The day was divided accordingly: Session A 10-11:30, a 15-minute break, Session B 11:45-12:30, an hour for lunch, Session C 1:30-3 p.m. Teachers were rotated every day, but for the morning sessions, the same teacher stayed with us. 

Because I finished school at 3 p.m. and we didn't eat dinner until 7, I usually got hungry between 4-5 p.m. I had to be very disciplined NOT to stop at the tiny sandwich shop for the world's best fries, or the boulangerie for a chausson (apple turnover), or a café for a cappuccino or chocolat chaud, or the grocery store for potato chips. A few times I did give in to these temptations, but usually I went home and had a snack of peanuts, salad, soup, or fruit. Sometimes I just took a nap to forget that I was hungry and that would carry me through to dinner.

Le Petit Casino grocery store a couple blocks away was one of my favorite haunts. Although I ate dinner with the sisters, I bought my own breakfast and lunch. Figuring out what to get for these meals and snacks became an exercise in creative problem solving and financial management. The Petit Casino sold a lot of prepared foods and although I usually try to shy away from such things, I did buy them in Lyon because I didn't have the facilities to cook. Nevertheless, I found these meals to be very tasty. The real victory was the day I tried out the hot plate to make soup and hard boiled eggs. If I had stayed at Chapponay longer, I'm sure I would have been more adventurous.

This stuff below, for example, only cost 25 euros--and it lasted more than a week! 

Life with the Sisters
We all joined together for our evening meal at 7 p.m. It usually consisted of vegetable soup veloute (vegetables pulverized into a liquid), some kind of vegetable dish, fruit or dessert. The sisters also offered me cheese since I didn't have any for lunch as they did. Rose usually cooked, and I usually did the dishes. We'd usually talk about our day and there was much to talk about. 

We'd then watch the news at 8 p.m. Sometimes there was an interesting program at 9 p.m., and I'd stay and watch it. (It was an opportunity to practice French. Documentaries were especially good for this endeavor because they spoke more slowly than the news journalists.) Most of the time I'd go to my computer and catch up on American news, check e-mail and Facebook, and/or do my homework. I'd usually "descend" to my apartment between 9:30-10:30 p.m. and get ready for bed by reading a book in English. I actually read more books in Lyon than I have in a long time. These books included:

My Life in France by Julia Child (something I could identify with as a first timer in France)

We Were 8 Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-nehisi Coates (fascinating, sad, and engaging)

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (pretty spooky)

A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clark (an Englishman's experience living and working in Paris with comments on the culture)

Andersonville: A Story of Rebel Military Prisons by John McElroy (I've wanted to read this book for years, but for some reason decided to read it; it is a fascinating account of life in the worst Southern prison during the Civil War.)

Weekends were free days so I'd usually read French magazines, do some housekeeping, complete homework assignments, practice French grammar or read English books. On Saturdays I'd go to the market, grocery store, or the bookstore in Place Bellecour as well as 4 p.m. Mass at St. Bonaventure's (12th century building). Among the highlights was a cooking class and a Hammam, a Middle Eastern sauna. 

This Hammam is a woman-only place that offers skin care, facials, hair dressing, hot oil massages, depilatory waxing, and God knows what else! Most of the women there were young Frenchwomen. There are several other Hammams in town, so I think this is something the French do to care about their skin. The sauna was hot and yet relaxing; sometimes they added a healing scent like lavender to the steam. After about 30 minutes in the sauna, a woman was available to scrub the old skin off my body. She spared no muscle and my treatment lasted for weeks before a new layer of old skin appeared! Unlike any other spa-like place I've experienced, there were couches available to stretch out and sleep after the treatment. After such a strenuous scrubbing, I certainly needed it!

On weekends we had the main meal together at noon. It consisted of some kind of meat with vegetables, cheese, fruit, dessert, wine, and coffee. We'd eat and talk together for about 90 minutes. Rose usually cooked, and Marie Philippe washed the dishes. 

One Sunday, Rose's niece and her family came for dinner, so it was nice to experience a French family gathering. The kids (19, 15, 12, 10) were all well-behaved and everyone sat at the table for about 2 hours. Then, as though a signal had gone off, the kids left the table. Mom and Dad went out on the balcony for a smoke. Finally, the whole family went out for a walk with Rose along the Rhône River. 

On other occasions, sisters from in-town or out-of-town visited on Saturday or Sunday. Rose and Marie Philippe may have been retired, but their lives on Chapponay were always in motion with visitors, their own travels, or activities with the sisters of the Congregation.


Many Thanks!!
I am grateful to Rose and Marie Philippe for allowing me to stay with them this winter. They made me feel comfortable, and they were willing to let me practice my French. (They proved to be very patient and kind women in this regard!) They listened intently to my activities and shared a bit of their lives with me. I also learned a lot about French culture from them, and for that, I am even more grateful.

The Rhône River

One of my great joys of living in Lyon in January and half of February was to walk along the Rhône River on my way to and from school. One section of the river was graced with platanes, the beautiful white trees planted in Lyon's parks and lining its major streets. As I walked I would prepare for class by doing practice warm ups in French. This included reading street and store signs in French, which helped me articulate the sounds as well as forcing myself to express my  thoughts in French instead of English.  


Next to the walkway among the trees is a lower walkway. Bicyclists and joggers seem to like it because it is safe from cars. On Sundays and holidays, families typically stroll here.  

The riverfront is also lined with tourist boats securely moored during the winter months. When the weather is nice, the boats offer cruises with food, music, and stunning views. 



This view of the Rhône shows the Lafayette Bridge and the 17th century buildings built on the riverfront. I crossed this bridge almost every day on my 45-minute walk to school. In the background (center-left) above the buildings is a white, castel-like structure. That's the Basilica on Fourvière Hill. It was built in 1872-84. Although it's difficult to see in this photo, to the left of the Basilica is a small chapel where Mother St. John Fontbonne used to go every day to pray for the sisters she sent to America. On my way to school I'd look up at that chapel as one of her daughters and pray to her for help with my French.




This is a view of the Rhône moving downstream toward the Confluence with the Saône. 

The city uses its two rivers, the Rhône and the Saône, to make Lyon a more beautiful and welcoming gathering place for residents and tourists alike. That includes creating places for people to sit. In warmer weather, these steps are lined with people. 

The towers in the  background (left) provide lights for the swimming pool below. 











Some background on the Rhône

The Rhône's 500-mile journey begins with the Rhône glacier located near Oberwald in the Swiss Alps--altitude 7,244 feet. It flows southwest through Geneva and later through Lyon where it meets its major tributary, the Saône River. It then goes due south through Avignon and finally through Arles where it forms a delta and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. In French, the Rhône is called a fleuve because it flows into the sea. The Saône, on the other hand, is a rivière because it is a tributary and flows into a fleuve. 

The Rhône has been an important transportation route since the ancient Greeks and Romans. Before modern railroads and freeways, the Rhône continued to be an inland trade highway.

Traveling down the Rhône by barge would take three weeks. Now, with motorized vessels, it takes only three days.

Mouth of the Rhone

The Rhone at Night


I didn't go out much at night, but one night I did and I discovered a whole new world. The Rhône was a magnificent sight as street lights reflected on its waters. The river also seemed to be at its calmest quite a contrast to  its daytime rush downstream. And, although winter temperatures in Lyon are in the 40s, people are constantly out walking along the river. Night time is no exception. 

This photo above shows the river upstream with the Lafayette Bridge in the background. Below is a photo looking downstream at the Wilson Bridge.


  

Behind this riverfront is the huge pedestrian shopping center that runs several blocks along Rue de la République from the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) to Place Bellecour, one of Europe's largest open squares; it measures 15 acres! There was a Ferris wheel there and next to it a churro stand (fried dough). It seemed odd that there were not other rides, however, the wheel gave stunning views of the city along the riverfront. Maybe that was the reason it was there. It also helped me find my way whenever I need to orient myself. I could see the Ferris wheel at the end of the street where I lived.


The Rhône at Flood Stage

One day the evening news announced that avalanches were occurring in the Alps. We certainly could see their effects on the Rhône as it passed through Lyon. In these photos below, the lower walkway was flooded. City workers put up barricades to prevent people from going into these areas. Meanwhile, people stood on the bridges with their cameras to record the flooding.

With the floods came whole tree trunks bobbing downstream.  I imagined they came from the Alps. There were also things like wool hats and ski gloves floating in the river. Because the river was quite stirred up, it was also muddier than usual, and it moved much quickly. I saw whitecaps about 2 feet high! 

The parking lot along the river and under the main street was totally flooded. I estimate that the river rose 8-12 feet! Clearly, this flooding was a clear reminder that whatever happens upstream affects those places downstream!

What the Rhône Meant to Me
Walking along the Rhône each day became a highlight as well as an opportunity to observe its daily changes. Gradually, I began to relate to the river and even personify it. 

One day after nearly four weeks of French lessons, I walked home feeling frustrated and depressed wondering if I were ever going to learn the language? My speaking abilities seemed to be degenerating, and I wasn't sure how much spoken French I really understood. My reading of French had improved greatly, but I couldn't recall the words whenever I tried to use them; I only remembered that I had studied them. As I passed by the Rhône on my way home from class, I stopped and asked it to help me. There was no answer. 

I told the sisters I lived with about my asking the river for help and was surprised when they suggested that I give it some time to speak to me. That night I had dreams and awoke with a stream of ideas about learning French. The river had opened my understanding about why I was so stressed about it. As I walked along the Rhône the next day, I felt quite uplifted in the belief that the Rhône had indeed spoken to me. Then I got another answer from it as I passed the sculpture on the Bourse building. The sculpture             shows the Confluence of the Rhône and Saône as lovers: the Rhône is the man and the Saône is the woman. 

Look at the determination on the Rhône's face. He is not diverted or distracted by anyone or anything. He has to go to the sea no matter what, and he will get there at his own pace! That was the river's message to me: only unceasing determination would help me to learn French and achieve fluency. Suddenly, I became more relaxed and less stressed. I focused on how I could be more determined to learn French rather than wondering why I wasn't learning fast enough. 

Artists have oftentimes personified Nature. The ancient gods and goddesses are depictions of Nature! Artists have also personified the Rhône. Here is one by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1883-86).

My favorite, however, will always be the small sculpture outside the Bourse building on Rue de la République in Lyon. 

A Trip to the Local Bouchon

I had cervelle d'agneau meunière at the Tête de Lard bouchon one Friday night with some of my classmates from the Inflexyon language school. We wanted an authentic Lyonnais experience and figured the bouchon was probably the best way to get it. 

A bouchon is a traditional restaurant of Lyon. It uses animal organs from cows, ducks, pigs, and sheep to make such dishes as andouillette (sausage of intestines and/or blood), foie de veau (veal liver), tête de veau (veal head), échine de cocher (pork spine), onglet de boeuf (beef tab on the stomach), and cervelle d'agneau (sheep brains). 

My classmates and I felt that this sounded like pretty gruesome fare, but eating all parts of the animal instead of just the muscle is a testament to the French aversion to wastefulness as well as a celebration of tasty, rustic peasant food. The dishes are typically fatty given the types of meats used, and they are nowhere near the lighter and fancier haute cuisine we usually associate with French food. 

Bouchons originated in the 18th century through "the Lyon mothers." As the website, Les Bouchons Lyonnais states: 

[The mothers] were cooks from humble origins. They set up their own businesses after working for bourgeois families in Lyon. The Mothers cooked simple and refined food. They used inferior cuts as they were in the habit of not throwing anything away. 

The Lyon mothers flourished during the inter-war period. The impact of the war and the 1929 economic crisis were to change the face of Lyon’s cuisine. A lot of these cooks were dismissed from the homes where they worked. This is when they opened their own restaurants… much to our delight! Workers, celebrities and rich businessmen sat side by side at their tables, in a friendly atmosphere!

Among the most famous mothers were Mère Françoise Fillioux (1865-1925) and More Eugénie Brazier (1895-1977), dubbed the "Mother of Modern French Cooking." She was the first woman to win three Michelin stars and among her famous protegés is Paul Bocuse. Mère Fillioux also earned three Michelin stars. For more information about the mothers, check out Lyonresto.com.

The Bouchons are anxious to guarantee both the quality of products and cuisine as well as the authenticity of their tradition, which includes the bouchon's welcome, ambience, and respect for Lyon's history and heritage. In 1997, Pierre Grison created the organization, L'Association de Défense des Bouchons Lyonnais (Association for the Preservation of Lyonnais Bouchons), which certifies bouchons as "authentic." There are about 20 officially certified bouchons in Lyon and the Tete de Lard is among them.

Typical items in the bouchon repertoire include:

Soup

Tripe soup, pumpkin soup

Salads and cold appetizers

Chicken liver salad, pork head cheese, groins d'âne salad (literally, "donkey snout" salad), marinated herrings, salade Lyonnaise (lettuce with bacon, croutons, mustarddressing, and a poached egg)

Hot appetizers

gateau de volaille (chicken liver cake), boudin noir (blood sausage, usually served with warm apples)

Offal

Andouillette (pork offal sausage), assorted offal gratin, tablier de sapeur

Fish

Stingray, quenelles (ground fish dumplings), grilled fillets

Meat

Coq au vin, pot au feu (pot roast), chicken thighs stuffed with morels

Vegetables

Cardoon à la moelle (in bone marrow), barboton, pailasson de Lyon

Cheese

Saint-Marcellin, Saint-Félicien, Rigotte de Condrieu

Desserts

tarte praline (praline tart), lemon meringue pie, caramelized apples, bugnes de Lyon(miniature beignets)

One of the great perks of the Inflexyon school is that it provides students with the opportunity to meet other students from all over the world. My new friends here represented the countries of Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Iraq, Japan, and Thailand. I was one of the few Americans at the school, however, nearly everyone I met spoke English, which is routinely accepted as a universal language. However, during our dinner at the bouchon, we all spoke French. Our instructors would be proud of us!

At first, it was a little difficult to choose from the menu options because the dishes were so unfamiliar. In fact, we took out our cell phones to look up words that described the dishes. Once I found cervelle, however, I knew I had to have it. My Dad ate brains when he served in France during World War II, so I wanted to try them. He said they looked like cauliflower but were more tasty. My cervelle was light with a crusty finish to its soft but not mealy interior. The lemon, butter and parsley meunière sauce made it tangy. 

Meunière refers to both sauce and a method of preparation. Cooking something à la meunière requires that the meat is first dredged in seasoned flour and then sautéd in brown butter, chopped parsley, and lemon. Meunière means "miller's wife" in French, which refers to its non-elaborate rustic nature.

Since my friends and I had almost everything on the menu, we could see and taste each other's dishes. We generally found the food good and tasty and its appearance not at all what we imagined. But as one other student who had eaten at a bouchon a couple weeks before said, "In order to try the food, you have to get over the fact of what it is." As is evident in the following photos, the chef knew how to present the food to make it both appetizing and appealing.  

The bouchon once again demonstrates my contention that every food they make in France is great.

The menu board at La Tête de Lard was simple and affordable. Each plat (main dish) included a complementary appetizer of crispy pork rinds and saucisson (pork sausage). Hmmm, good!















We also received a casserole dish of au gratin potatoes to share among us.

Below are photos of my friends' dishes.

Lyonnaise salad with a soft-boiled egg to drape thick pieces of bacon and fresh lettuce.

Foie de veau persille
(calf's liver with parsley sauce)

Onglet de boeuf sauce St. Marcellin (tab of beef with a sauce made from St. Marcellin cheese mixed with cream, stock, mushrooms) 

Tête de veau (veal head) in gribiche sauce (mayonnaise-style cold hard-boiled egg yolks, mustard, and oil finished with chopped pickled cucumbers, capers, parsley, chervil and tarragon)

Échine de cocher à la crème de lard (pork spine with a sauce of cream and bacon)